Electric connection



W. A. FRANTZ ELECTRIC commoner:

Filed Feb. 16, 1923 Dec. 15, 1925- A T TORNE Y Patented Dec. 15,1925.

i UNITED STATES WALTER A. FBANTZ, OF CZEVELAND, OHIO.

ELECTRIC CONNECTION.

Application filed February 16, 1023. Serial No. 819,427.

Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER A. FRANTZ,

. a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful. Improvement in Electric Con: nections, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to electric terminals and has for its object the provision of a reinforcement for the end of a flexible electric conductor at the point where it enters a terminal fitting. It is' well known that the weak and troublesome part of an electric attachment is at the junction of the cable with the article to which it is attached, whether it be an electric fan, suction cleaner, washing machine, sad iron, heater, toaster or electric lam socket or other device, and the objects 0 this invention are the provision of a reinforcement of this point which shall prevent the abrupt bending of the wires, prevent fraying or abrasion of the insulation, and support any longitudinal pull which may be imposed u on the device,

while at the same time facihtating the assembling of the parts.

One embodiment of my. said invention is illustrated in: the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application, al-

though it will be understood that this constitutes only one of man physical structures in which it may be uti ed and that I am not limited to its use with any particular kind of fitting. Fi 1 represents my improvement as applie to a. separable connection;- Fig. 2 illustrates a flexible cable. provided with my improved reinforcing sleeve and Fig. 3 illustrates the end fitting of Fig.

. inner end a pair of laterally projecting ears 5--5. These ears may be of any desired longitudinal extent, but are preferably made sufiiciently massive to exhibit a high degree of strength, the bottom or interior of the member 1 being recessed as at 66 to receive the same. They are preferably but not necessarily of the same compositionas the rest of the sleeve. The two lary electric cables 77. of which the cord 3 is com osed are extended beyond these cars, thelr individual sheaths 88 being likewise lpreferably continued beyond the rubber w ere they are there provided with end fittings 9-9 or attached directly to the screws 101 0 as may bedesired. The fingers 11-11 are intended to typify any kind of electric connection, one of the same belng broken away in Fig. 3' the better to show the parts of my invention.

The sleeve 4 being made of soft rubber, it is flexible and permits the ready but gradual'bending of the cord; being tightly ad- (or more) subsidherent to the insulation of the cord it prevents fraying or unraveling of the same. Owing to the ears 5 or their equivalent, any longitudinal pull is taken up by the entire body of the cord and does not fall upon the contacts. These terminals can be molded rapidly and inexpensively upon the cords and when so applied facilitate greatly the assembling of'the parts. It will be understood that many changes can be made in the construction without departing from my inventive idea.

Having thus described my invention, what .I claim 1s:

1. An electric cord having afabric shdath- .and a flexible soft rubber protecting sleeve molded upon. and adhesively attached to said sheath adjacent to its end, the remainder of said sheath remaining naked.

2. A flexible electric cord comprising a conductor and a fabric sheath in combination with a flexible rubber protecting sleeve molded around the ends of the conductor members and adhesively connected to said sheath, said conductor members and sheath projecting beyondthe opposite ends of said.

sleeve. v

3. A flexible electric cord comprising a conductor and fabric sheath in combination with a flexible insulating sleeve molded about the-end of said sheath and provided with a lateral projection adapted to engage the body of a terminal fitting, said sheath extending beyond said sleeve in one direction and the conducting elements of said cord extending beyond saidsleeve inthe other direction for attachment with the conducting elements of the fitting.

4. In a device of the character described,

in combination, an end fitting having an r aperture therein, a flexible electric cord fabric covered sheath, an

projecting through said aperture and comprising a conducting element and a fabric sheath about the same, and a flexible protecting soft rubber sleeve molded upon said cord and surrounding the portion of the same which traverses said aperture and adhesively engages said sheath, said sleeve fitting snugly in said aperture and the conductin elements of said cord projecting beyond t e end of said sleeve for attachment to said end fitting.

5. In a device of the character described, in combination, an end fitting having an aperture therein, a flexible insulating electric cord projecting through said aperture, a flexible rubber (protecting sleeve molded upon said cord an surrounding the portion of same which traverses said aperture, said sleeve fitting snugly in said aperture and the conducting elements of said cord projecting beyond the end of said sleeve for attachment to said end fitting, said fitting having an internal cavity and said sleeve having a projection adapted to be received in said cavity whereby longitudinal pull is supported.

6. The combination with a rigid hollow fitting having an aperture and having internal contact members, of a flexible insulated electric cord traversing said aperture, said cord comprising conductin members and a a flexible protecting sleeve of plastic material molded about said cord where it traverses said aperture, said sleeve being mechanically attached to said fitting and adhesively attached to saidfabric covering.

7. A flexible insulated electric cord comprising conductor members surrounded by an insulating sheath, said members projecting beyond the end of the sheath, in

combination with a flexible soft rubber protecting sleeve molded thereon adjacent to the end of said cord and adhesively attached both to the exterior of said sheath and to said members. I

8. A flexible insulated electric cord comprising a conductormember surrounded by an insulatin sheath exceptin for a short distance at its end, and a flexible soft rubber protecting sleeve molded thereon so as to overlap the end of said sheath and adhere both to said sheath and to said' member, said sleeve having at its forward end an enlargement for mechanical connection to a fitting, and having said sheath projecting from its other side.

9. The combination with an electric fitting having an aperture therein, of a flexible insulated electric cord projecting through said aperture and comprising a conductor member and a fabric covered sheath of insulating material surrounding the same, and a flexible soft rubber protecting sleeve molded about the portion of said cord which traverses said aperture, said sleeve being mechanically secured in said aperture and adhesively secured to said sheath and projecting a suflicient distance beyond the same to prevent abrupt bending of the cord. 4 10. The combination with an electric fitting of a soft rubber sleeve projecting therefrom and a flexible electric cord projectin through said sleeve into said fitting, sai cordcomprising one or more conducting strands and an insulating sheath and the sleeve being molde'd upon said cord and adhesively secured to said sheath and strands.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

WALTER ArF-RANTZ. L 

